Life as I know It

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

I've always wanted an old gypsy cart, like this one that sat just inside the entry gate.

Dear Friends,

Thanks for your sweet words of encouragement! I love hearing from you and hearing about your families, your gardens, your cooking, and your adventures, too.

Last Saturday, I got to meet a few of you in person at the wonderful children's bookstore called Curious Cup in Carpinteria, California. Thanks for coming and for supporting Kiona's great community resource–a small, well-considered, independent bookstore.

The Green Vase is a small antique shop located in Arroyo Grande, California, which is near our home. The owner, Connie Cetti, has great style and flair.

On Sunday, I got to spend a little time at the great vintage show Remnants of the Past created and managed by Judy Watkins. In years past, the show was held in the old barn at the Dana-Power's Adobe, a land grant homestead in the same family for over a hundred years.

You couldn't beat the ambiance of the old barn, but with their move to a bigger venue in the small city of San Luis Obispo, Judy and her team have done a great job.

After being featured in Country Living magazine, the show at the barn exploded and imploded–there was no way the small country roads and limited access could accommodate all the folks who wanted to attend. So Judy moved to the Alex Madonna Expo Center (yes, as in Madonna Inn) just a couple of miles from our home. Lucky us.

I think this is an old washtub, which has been fitted with a fountain bubbler. Funkalicious!

The Girlshop had lots of unusual things, such as...

Bouquets of cattails with nests woven into them.

Another booth featured old garden tools, beach toys, and an array of frogs (flower holders). Don't overlook the sculptural qualities of these things. My girlfriend Jane Hogue has a smashing display of flower frogs mounted on a wall in her home.

Shopping the booths.

Somebody has decorating courage, aka guts! These are a statement, but I don't know what the statement is, perhaps Fourth of July? Anyhow, they were cute.

I find it amazing how much blood, sweat, and tears the hard working dealers put into designing their booths.

I thought this was a pretty neat idea. The dealer used an old window to "frame" some botanical prints. Why not press some ferns and leaves, mount them on heavy rag paper, and do your own version?

Serendipity's booth featured some repurposed sinks filled with sculptural succulents. Serendipity is a great (and huge), idea-filled shop in Arroyo Grande.

Sometimes you had to peek behind things. This is a great, painted planter from Judy Sorenson of Sorenson Farms Antiques in Arroyo Grande.

Over the Ocean's colorful accents and furniture would be a great addition to a beachy house.

Uh oh. How did I forget to write down the name of this dealer? I LOVE the Thornton's Ferry Social Club sign and could envision it in our Maine cottage.

And Judy arranged for some "celeb" appearances. We welcomed the creative Matthew Mead and Jo Packham of Where Women Cook, Where Women Create, etc. and shoot, I MISSED HER! She has been an inspiration to our creativity for decades. Come back Jo!

Ok friends, so now it is back to my manuscript, which I hope to finish in the next week or so. In many ways, it is tough to let go of the fictional world you create. The characters in my book have become like family to me and to my critique groups, The Cambria Writers Workshop and Kiddie Writers. Soon I will bid fartheewell to my young heroines and hello to a new chapter in my life.